//------------------------------// // 119 Perfection, Part Three // Story: Continuity Disrupted // by Doug Graves //------------------------------// December 2nd, 1000 Domina Solaria Doug holds his hand up with a light groan, trying to ward off the light of Celestia’s dawning sun. The rays stream through the open windows of Rarity’s combination workshop and bedroom in the Carousel Boutique, glittering off the five dresses that they had worked all night to complete. Well, ‘they’ is a somewhat nebulous concept, as is ‘all night’. Applejack had tapped out first, just before midnight. The farmpony dutifully tried to keep introducing items for eventualities that, in all honesty, weren’t very likely to occur, and her stallion’s repeated pointing out of this fact did not earn him any points. Still, she kept with it, sitting still for the alterations. Even if it took a couple tries to get right and Rarity got increasingly difficult to deal with. Rainbow Dash followed shortly after. Rarity worked on her dress first, while making minor modifications and fittings for Applejack, if only to give the unruly pegasus something to do. While Applejack’s additions were for items with purported usefulness, Rainbow’s were all geared to making her dress ‘cooler’. Some were things that Rarity was able to incorporate, like the rainbow saddle that peeks out from under the rainbow dress and cloud train. Others were too late in the crafting process, like a Wonderbolts-esque flight suit that would have covered her front shoulders and chest. And the vast majority, like making the train into a massive sonic Rainboom bigger than the mare herself, were shot down with extreme prejudice. The two mares are now cuddling together, a partially unrolled bolt of fabric serving as an impromptu blanket. Next to them is Twilight, mare’s muzzle buried in a book on constellations. Rarity insisted that the mare was not to be woken, on pain of being the pony (or human) to keep her from moving around the stars already stitched onto her dress. Pinkie Pie lasted longer than anypony suspected. Perhaps it was the candy she kept scarfing down instead of attaching to the dress. Or maybe it was the way she kept chasing the balloons around the store. But she eventually plopped down, whipped a pillow out of her mane, laid down next to Applejack, and started snoring away. Surprisingly, it was Rarity who turned in next. She had just put the finishing touches on Pinkie Pie’s dress, took one look at Fluttershy, who was busily stitching flowers onto the yellow trim on the bottom of her green dress, and said, “I’m just going to rest my eyes a moment, and I’ll be right there to help.” Three hours later, and she’s still fast asleep. Fluttershy took another hour to finish her own dress. Her eyes were struggling to stay open, and every hoofstitch was a struggle to keep straight, especially because she was using a topstitch. But the dress is, to her and Doug’s eyes, as close to Rarity’s design as they could make it. She put the finished dress to the side, lay down next to Doug, and promptly fell asleep in his lap, leaving him quite unable to continue assisting Trixie. Aside from constant petting, that is, the stimulation enough to keep the mare working until morning. She still sits next to Doug, blankly staring at Twilight’s dress on the ponnequin. When Doug’s hand rests on her instead of continuing his constant scratching, she glances up at him. “Trixie cannot believe we pulled it off.” “I can,” Doug says, his sleepy smile curling to a smirk. “When friends come together? There’s nothing we can’t do!” Trixie snorts. Fluttershy whimpers in Doug’s lap, quickly going back to resting. The azure unicorn continues, “Well, except that there is one dress we haven’t completed.” “Just one?” Doug asks, glancing down. “Not two?” Trixie pauses for a second, the sketchbook she was about to pull out staying mostly hidden. “Trixie did not think she was getting a dress. After all, she is not going to the Gala.” Her smirk returns, “But she would outshine everypony if she were to go.” “Maybe you can get Spike’s ticket.” Doug glances upstairs; the two youngsters retired as soon as they could slip away. “I’m not sure if he actually wants to go or not. But, we need somepony to watch after the fillies. Maybe the trio will get their cutie marks by then?” He sighs, “But, I’m not counting on that. It’s not that I don’t trust them, it’s just…” Trixie shakes her head, “Three overeager fillies rampaging through Canterlot? I don’t know how it could get any worse.” “Well, I was thinking that you might watch over them. Maybe rope in Spike, if you don’t think you can hoof it.” Trixie grits her teeth before her muzzle curls back to a smirk. She slowly gets up, nuzzling Doug, whispering, “I hate that you know me so well. I would have done it, purely to prove that I can.” Her mouth pulls a little closer, right in his ear, “But perhaps I should be grateful.” Doug grins, turning his head to kiss Trixie on the nose. She grins back, though pulls away, a sketchbook levitating up as she rests back against his side. His hand strokes her back as she flips through, ending on a detailed sketch of a long, full body dress. “Where did you get that?” Doug asks, yawning heavily. “Trixie got bored and rifled through the dressers. Sue me.” She flips to the next page, more intricate drawings of each section. “We’re going to make her dress for her.” She nudges the pegasus in Doug’s lap, “Though I think we will need her help with the piecing. You just gather materials, measure and cut.” “Just like before,” Doug says, though he doesn’t get up. “What about your dress?” Trixie glares, “The old one was lost in a fire, as you know.” Her expression softens, “But Rarity did help me with the new one, so it can be in the show. I may need to bring it in, spruce it up a little bit.” Trixie glances over at the white unicorn. “I should wait until she is awake for that part.” “I’m sure it’ll look great, just like when you’re out there performing for all those pegasi.” Doug pauses for a second as he considers his next words. “Are you doing this just to prove that you’re as good a dressmaker than Rarity?” Trixie scoffs. “Please. She has a dozen years of playing dressmaker, and has practically specialized purely in how to hold a needle. She really needs to get out more, broaden her repertoire.” She points a hoof at the purple unicorn, “But Trixie is a better dressmaker than Twilight. And she revels in any chance to prove she has something Twilight does not.” “Is that why the entirety of Twilight’s stitching says, ‘Trixie was here’, repeated over and over?” “You noticed!” Trixie exclaims with a gleeful smile. “I was going to do the same to Rarity’s.” Doug nods, a slight roll of his eyes. “Well, we better get started, then,” shaking the yellow mare in his lap. She slowly comes awake, eyes squinting at the morning sun. She yawns, her mouth stretching so wide Doug is tempted to put his head (or at least a hand) inside. Before he can her mouth closes, smacking her lips a few times. Fluttershy glances over at Doug again, eyes widening in alarm as she takes in the design held in his hands. The three quietly get up, going to Rarity’s main store area to begin working. Approximately two hours later, Rarity scurries back and forth across Trixie’s stage, outside in the main center of Ponyville. She mutters to herself, “Pay attention to the details!” as she hurriedly fastens one decoration after another. The gems are all evenly spaced, and her horn flares to touch up a bit of faded fabric, making the colors perfect. At least temporarily, and hopefully nopony will notice if it does fade. Everything has to be absolutely perfect for this! It could be her one shot to make it in with one of the most influential fashion ponies in Equestria! Rarity gasps as she spots the white and gray mane bobbing through the crowd of ponies. And the way it is fashioned; it can only be him! Hoity Toity! Her gasp turns to a stifled shriek as she spins back to the decorations. Symmetry, things could be missing as long as it isn’t obvious that there shouldn’t be anything there! “Spike!” she desperately calls. “Yes?” Spike says, stepping out from behind the curtain. “What’cha need?” Rarity, barely keeping herself from hyperventilating, points a hoof at the decorations. “Gems! Even! Ahhh!” Spike steps to the side as Rarity dashes past him, peering up at the gems. He says to himself, “Well, I guess I can pick one or two to taste. And to, you know, even it out. Or something.” A claw comes up to stroke his chin, trying to decide which ones look the tastiest. And then he better get the crowd riled up, they are already starting to gather outside the stage in droves! “Huh,” says Doug as Rarity races past him. The other four mares waiting in their dresses glance over. “You okay?” “Aahh!” “Well,” Applejack says as she walks up from behind the stage, looking at the white unicorn in front of her who is currently curled up in a ball, rocking back and forth and gnawing at her hooves. “ Ah take it Hotty Totty is here?” “That’s Hoity Toity! Honestly, Applejack, this is incredibly serious!” Rarity fumes, steam practically spitting out of her ears. “I will have you know that this single event could make or break my entire business!” “Ah know that,” Applejack says with a roll of her eye. “Jus’ tryin’ to lighten the mood, is all.” Doug glances over as Fluttershy enters the backstage in a hurry, now only missing Trixie. He whispers to her, “Is it ready?” “Almost,” Fluttershy replies quietly. She glances to the front curtain. “How are things going out there?” Spike gets one of the thaumic powered microphones from Vinyl Scratch, the unicorn giving it a quick charge. He steps out on the stage, munching on a gem, nearly ready to begin. “Excuse me!” shouts Hoity Toity from the front row. “Where is my cushion?!” “Sorry,” a brown stallion grunts out, dropping a maroon cushion directly behind the fashionista. His eyes go wide in surprise as Hoity Toity sits down directly on his nose! “Aah!” they both yell, springing up. “That is it!” Hoity Toity exclaims, stomping a hoof in indignation. “That is the second time! Give me the book!” “Aww,” the stallion says, pulling out a pristine notebook. “I’m sorry.” “Too bad. You’re fired.” Hoity Toity looks around the audience as the brown stallion slinks away, picking out a blue stallion who doesn’t seem to be doing much. He shouts at him, “You there!” “Me?” the blue stallion says, walking up. “Yes! You’re hired! I expect to only need to tell you something once!” The stallion looks around, dumbfounded. “Really?” Hoity Toity grits his teeth. “Yes. That’s the first time I’ve repeated myself, and you only get two chances.” The stallion shrugs, moving as if to turn away. “The pay is one thousand bits if you make it through the rest of the day.” The stallion spins back around, a grin on his face. “Do you need the pillow fluffed, sir?” “Yes.” Hoity Toity glances up to Spike, a heavy, long-suffering sigh. “Good help is so hard to find, wouldn’t you say?” “Yeah.” Spike glances around as the lights go on, extra bright in the late morning. “Oh! That’s my cue! Gotta go!” Backstage, Rarity is practically wearing a furrow in the floor with how she is pacing back and forth. Doug worriedly looks around as Spike begins talking up the crowd, something or other about the beginning of ponykind. He slips on the gloves Rarity made him, feeling slightly defenseless without his shield or spear. But even just the cuirass, boots, and helm is intimidating enough. At least most of them saw it a month ago. He turns to Rarity, “It’s me up first, right?” “You and Trixie,” Rarity spits out, briefly sticking her head out the front to see if she can spot the azure unicorn. She yells in a hushed voice, “What’s taking her so long?” “I’m here! Trixie is here!” the azure unicorn exclaims as she hustles into the staging area, dropping a cloth wrapped item just outside Rarity’s field of view. The unicorn is wearing her purple cloak adorned with blue and yellow stars. Instead of her massive hat she has a modest hairband, quickly brushing her white and blue mane to something more presentable. “Are we starting?” “Yes!” Rarity nearly shouts, pointing to the door as Spike stops talking. “Go!” Doug and Trixie step out, walking to the edge of the stage. Spike narrates, “Two of Rarity’s early designs, perfect for protector or practitioner alike! Both will be on display at the Grand Galloping Gala in Canterlot next year!” They briefly pose, swapping places and pausing again, before walking back. “Hmm,” Hoity Toity ponders, the blue stallion next to him scribbling everything down. “Not bad. Effective, if minimalist. A bit dark for my liking, but I suppose you have to work with what you have.” Twilight Sparkle steps out as Trixie and Doug disappear behind the curtain. “Better,” Hoity Toity says, “The design is there, but the implementation leaves a little to be desired. Something seems off, but I can’t quite put my hoof on it.” Twilight holds her smile until she gets to the curtain, a bit of a scowl appearing as Applejack steps past her. “What is it?” Rarity shouts as she leaps forward and shakes Twilight. “How was it? What did he say?” “He liked the design,” Twilight replies, “but he said something was off.” “Speaking of off,” Doug says, pulling out the package Trixie brought, “we have something for you, Rarity.” Her eyes go wide as he unwraps the dress, squealing in delight! “Hmm,” Hoity Toity says, rubbing his hoof  against his chin as Applejack walks by. “Much better. Magnificent! It leaves me with a craving for apples, certainly.” He glances to the blue stallion. “You! Get me an apple!” “Pony or fruit?” the stallion asks. “Fruit. Though, if she is available, I wouldn’t say no.” “Sorry, she’s taken. Crazy stallion, too, you don’t want to mess with that.” The stallion leaves with a shake of his head, pushing through the crowd to find Apple Bloom aggressively working the apple stand. Pinkie Pie’s dress is met with equal optimism, leaving Hoity Toity about to hire a second fetchcolt when the blue stallion returns, carrying a bag bulging with apples. “Candy!” Hoity Toity commands, no further explanation. He turns back to the stage, licking his lips. “Delicious! Spectacular!” Hoity Toity turns back as Rainbow steps forwards. His eyes narrow. He muses, “Hmm, seems like a lot of time is spent working on the back. For most ponies, you go with the opposite.” His eyes widen with recognition as Rainbow walks away, “Oh! It’s the racer, from Cloudsdale! Perhaps because all you’ll see is her back! Brilliant!” He peers a little closer, “Hmm, the craftsponyship leaves something to be desired, though. A little rushed. Perhaps that is intentional, too?” Fluttershy bravely steps forward, wishing to herself that she had gone up with Doug instead of Trixie. She softly smiles, barely spending any time at the edge of the stage before she practically skips back, having to hold herself back from galloping. “Good design, very applicable, seems far more appropriate than the last.” Hoity Toity’s eyes narrow as he grabs a piece of candy from the blue stallion, “Though the stitching again leaves something to be desired. Far too intricate for the remainder of the dress.” Rarity steps up next, her dress a flowing combination of pinks and yellows, a purple trim along the back that waves back and forth, a maroon collar coming up nearly to her ears. Gems stud the sides, her chest, her earrings, even the gold crown jutting next to her horn. Two pairs of matching gold earrings also adorn the mare, a golden necklace a sharp contrast to her styled purple mane. “Bravo!” cheers Hoity Toity, though his exuberance is tempered by his keen eye. “Again,” he mutters to himself, “the designs are intricate and beautiful, but the implementation isn’t there!” Rarity bows before she heads back behind the curtain, practically leaping onto Doug and Trixie as they console Fluttershy. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she shouts with joy, hugging all three of them close. She looks around to the rest of the herd, ending on Trixie, “Without you all, I would never have been able to pull this off! It went marvelously!” “Yes, it did!” Hoity Toity says, stepping into the backstage area, Rarity swooning. “Every dress was incredible, of course.” He peers closely at Twilight’s dress, a frown coming over his muzzle. He does the same to Rarity’s, the unicorn’s frown matching his. “Is something the matter?” Rarity asks. “Ah. I thought it looked off.” Hoity Toity’s frown disappears, replaced by a smirk, especially at Rarity’s probing gaze. “Are you aware that your stitching says, ‘Trixie was here’, repeated over and over?” “It says what?” Rarity exclaims, her eyes turning to the cloud of dust where an azure unicorn used to sit.